An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but will never break.---Based on an ancient Chinese belief---
This is the story of our journey to follow the red thread to Paul William, and Paul William's journey to his home.

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Sunday, June 10, 2007

What we did the first day

We are staying at Traders Hotel at China World Trade Center. It is fabulous. There is construction everywhere-they have many buildings to finish before the Olympics-but they just have constant construction here. Around our hotel there is beautiful landscaping, so well groomed and such a variety of plants. Even with the construction you can walk and hear the birds singing and see lots of little birds. We ate breakfast at the hotel breakfast buffet but you could get all types of local food and Western food. We left at 8 to go to Tian A Menn Square. Parking is at a premium here and as soon as we parked,we were surrounded by women selling souvenirs. Our guide said something to Greg and they took off leaving me with all the poor women trying to hawk their wares -thank goodness I did not even have any money with me -when Greg came back to get me he told me Lifeng(our guide) said to ignore them because there are so many(thanks for letting me know that!) but it was a difficult moment. We walked on the square and saw the museum and the giant picture of the Chairman-his body is still in the museum! and toured the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is enormous and of course they are trying to spruce it up for the Olympics, but it is incredible to see and realize how they built it almost 700 years ago. Inside the city we were approached by the first of several beggars-he was missing RBE just like our sweet boy and it was an emotional moment for us. Almost all the beggars we saw were limb difference men.

We visited the silk market and they took us through the whole process from the silk worms to the finished product. We saw some very beautiful material. I think our guide was Greg's age and he spoke pretty good English but talked very fast. We had a good time there. After that we ate lunch at a Beijing noodle house. That was when I felt we were Really in China now. We were the only White people there. It was a place our guide liked to eat and we walked there. There were life-sized carvings of people posed and sitting or standing around. There was some type of altar or homage to some god or person there, it was different.

In the afternoon we visited the Temple of Heaven. It was neat-very old and colorful, rich with history. We saw ancient junipers and cypress, types of cedars and pines, all very old. They seem to go to a great deal of trouble to try to save old limbs on the trees. I had seen this in pictures before.

Then we went to our room and crashed. I didn't even think I was tired until I walked in the door! It was 5:30 AM when I started this post and now it is time to get ready to walk on the Great Wall of China!

3 comments:

Hi guys,Sounds like you are have a wonderful time. Take it all in and enjoy it. One day Paul William will ask what China is like and you will be able to describe it in great detail. I wish so much that it was our turn.Regards,Russ & Lisa

WOW! What a busy day! I can't wait to visit too! Pass along all your tourist tips....like ignoring the ladies trying to sell stuff. These are things I would be ignorant of myself. Thanks again for posting! I enjoy hearing about your day! Look forward to hearing about The Great Wall!Buffi